Piddly

I’ve had some similar feedback about my stories, albeit on other sites where the content does tend to be more adult in nature, and perhaps it’s fair to say that what I write doesn’t fit there. I’d argue that having an interest in diapers doesn’t need to be a fetish, nor sexual in nature. I’m asexual, I have zero interest in that side of things and tend to just scroll past the more mature stories for that reason. But I can and do relate well to childhood stories like this one, they come across as more natural and ‘believable’ (inverted commas because they’re still fiction). Don’t get me wrong, there will no doubt be some people who will read an entirely innocent story and find sexual gratification in it, but that’s very much on the individual rather than the author. @sparkplease keep up the excellent work, there are plenty of us out here who love reading what you’re doing, and who aren’t looking for something that isn’t there.

Ah thanks so much for the feedback! I’ve got a bit of a habit of letting the characters get into my head and run away with things, meaning the story often takes a while to get to where it’s heading, and usually ends up in a different place entirely! This is definitely one of those times 😂 When I started writing this I had an idea for something a bit different, but then as it’s progressed it’s ended up going somewhere completely different to where I expected. I think the story will be better for it, as it’s more in keeping with my writing style, it agree we do need to get “somewhere” soon. Thanks for helping me to focus. 😊 Theres another of my stories on here “The Forgotten Homework” which was more focused on plot and a little less on character development, you may enjoy that if you like my style. Like this it was kind of abandoned for a while when I lost my mojo, but it will be back and finished off. Advanced warning, it’s another “slice of life” type story and the main protagonists are younger, but it’s a completely innocent story and will always be family friendly. if you stumble across my “Into The Saddle”, give that one a miss (unless you want a good laugh…and not at the humour!). It was my attempt at writing something more adult, smutty if you will, when rules were changed on another site and my usual stories didn’t fit anymore. Unfortunately (well, not really for me, but for the story) I’m asexual and don’t really get sex/smut, so attempting to write about it was, well…never to be repeated! 😂 Will hopefully have the next instalment up later today, we may make a bit more progress but bare with me as it’ll take a couple more chapters to get to some meaningful plot without it looking like it’s just been dumped in.

Chapter 37 Mckenzie and Charlotte continued chatting excitedly as they made their way to the table, each astounded by the connection they’d uncovered. Had it not been for the challenges Kenzie had faced leading to her quitting the club and giving up the sport she loved, they realised that it was possible, even likely that they would have met all these years later in quite different circumstances. How the world worked in mysterious ways! “Mum, mum! You’ll never guess what? Charlotte’s just been telling me about how much she loves to swim AND not only that, she’s a member of my old club down at the leisure centre! What are the chances, eh.” Mckenzie was bubbling over with excitement, struggling to get her words out coherently and talking at a hundred miles an hour, causing a slightly exasperated Lesley to shush her gently. “Shh love, that’s quite the coincidence isn’t it, but I’m not sure the whole street really needs to hear about it.” Suitably chided, and looking a little abashed at how she’d let her excitement get the better of her, the girl took the soup and sandwich she was being offered, muttering an apology as she did. She was rarely so animated, as a young adult now she’d learned to keep herself in check and, truth be told hadn’t often had something that piqued her interest quite so much, but had gotten a little carried away and blushed as she realised that she’d probably been jabbering away as a much younger child would. “There’s nothing wrong with being exited Kenz, and it’s great to see, but maybe just a few less decibels eh? So, that’s quite a turn up for the books Charlotte. Have you been at the club long? Kenzie’s probably told you that it’s a few years since she stopped going, but I don’t remember seeing you around there - not that I paid that much attention if I’m honest”. Now it was Charlotte’s turn to look a little embarrassed, as she admitted that she was new to the club having only learned to swim when she was much older than most kids, but quickly became quite passionate herself as she talked about her favourite pastime and how quickly her confidence had grown along with her ability. The rest of the meal passed in joyful, relaxed chatter as the three got to know each other and shared a little more about their lives and interests, keeping the conversation light and steering well away from awkward subjects. The girls of course talked more about swimming, what they were studying and plans for the future whilst Lesley shared a little about her work. Enjoying each other’s company, a couple of hours passed by quickly before they were interrupted by a ‘ting’ from Charlotte’s phone, signalling a message from her Mum to ask whether she’d fled the country or was planning to come home and make a start on tackling the mountain of homework she’d been putting off. “Blimey, I hadn’t realised the time. Mum’s right, I really should think about making a move or I’ll be flapping all week when my essays are due in. It was lovely to meet you Mrs Sumner, thanks ever so much for lunch. Erm, Kenz said you might be able to drop me back off at home? I’m sorry to be cheeky, but I’ll probably be waiting ages for a bus…if it even turns up at all on a Sunday.” Chuckling at the formality from the youngster when they’d been chatting so easily all afternoon, Lesley responded “Lesley, please call me Lesley. Great to meet you too, and yes of course I’ll give you a lift. It’s wet and miserable out there now, and Kenzie said you’re just on the other side of the estate? It’ll not take 5 mins in the car.” After dropping Charlotte off and stopping to pick up a few groceries on the way home, Kenzie too settled down to focus on some coursework, as keen as her friend had been not to leave things until the last minute, a bad habit she’d picked up in high school and was trying hard to break. Satisfied that she’d broken the back of the project she was working on, she eventually tidied away the various papers and books which had once again found themselves spread across her desk before joining Lesley who was curled up on the sofa in the living room half watching some period drama or another which had come on the TV. “I’ve been thinking mum, I really enjoyed our swim yesterday and then Charl talking about the club earlier made me realise jut how much I’ve missed it. I know it’s been a really long time now, and I’m not a member or anything anymore, but d’you think maybe I could go along with her one night, if she wanted me to I mean? I still recognised a few of the names on the wall charts yesterday, and it’d be great to see everyone again after so long.”

With sincere apologies for the 2 year hiatus, I guess I owe you all another chapter of this. 😁 Life has a habit of getting in the way, and I never really got my mojo back after a previous story came abruptly to the end, but I've really missed writing and I hate it when a story is left hanging. So, here goes, not a long one as keen to see whether there's still interest after such a long break, but if you guys want to read more I'll happily continue. Chapter 36 “Hey Charl” Kenzie welcomed the younger girl with a grin as she opened the door and immediately pulled her into a warm embrace. “Muuuuum, Charlotte’s here” she called loudly through the house, sounding just like an over excited preteen, and practically bounding down the hallway back into the dining room, eager to make the introductions. Lesley giggled to herself as she sat at the table leafing through a magazine and nursing her coffee. She couldn’t remember Kenzie being this excitable for such a long time, it was like winding the clocks back 10 years and it was quite a joy to behold. Laughter was something that had been missing from their home for too long, although as they’d slipped into what had become their normal routine she hadn’t quite realised just how much she’d missed it. Whilst not quite bouncing off the walls with anticipation as Mckenzie was, she was nonetheless eager to meet the mystery girl who’s managed to turn her daughter’s outlook on life completely on it’s head in just a couple of short weeks. “Hi Charlotte, lovely to meet you” Lesley said with a smile, seeing down her mug and standing to greet their guest. Feeling more than a little awkward, knowing her friend’s Mum had been the one to discover the shame of her accident, and had wound up with the unpleasant task of washing out her sodden underwear, Charlotte shuffled forward meekly and held out a hand before lowering her head and mumbling “mmm Hi Miss…mmm…Mrs Sumner. I’m, erm, well, I’m s..sorrry”, and with that she was unable to stop a small sob escaping from deep within her as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Acting on motherly instinct, Lesley wrapped her arms around the girl reassuringly and gave a gentle squeeze. “Now then, now then, there’s no need for all of that. Honestly sweetie, these things happen and it’s already forgotten about. Don’t be upsetting yourself.” Charlotte broke away and blushed at her sudden display of emotion, which had taken even her by surprise. Since chatting to Kenzie at the park she’d tried to put the events around how they’d met out of her mind, but somehow being back in the house and meeting her Mum for the first time had brought it all bubbling back to the surface again, busting out of her unexpectedly. How embarrassing! “Look, I wish things hadn’t happened quite how they did, and I bet you do too, but I’m sure glad you and Kenzie found each other. Honestly, it’s been like having a totally different girl in the house. Now, make yourself at home whilst I get us some lunch sorted. Kenz, why don’t you pour us all some drinks and I’ll leave the pair of you to catch up. We can have a proper chat whilst we eat, and I promise to steer clear of any embarrassing subjects, eh? You can both fill me in on your crushes instead, how does that sound?” “Muuuuum!” Kenzie scolded, horrified and shook her head in disbelief as Lesley chuckled and even Charlotte managed a smile. “Honestly, you’re sooo embarrassing!” After pouring 3 glasses of juice, the girls excused themselves and moved into the living room, ice broken and awkwardness pushed aside as they fell easily into teenage conversation, chatting about their week and the coincidence that had led to them barely missing each other the previous day at the swimming pool. Kenzie filled Charlotte in on her love of swimming, and touched briefly on how it had been such a big part of her life when she’d been younger, before she’d had to take a step back. As it turned out, Charlotte was totally the opposite - she’d always hated going to the pool as a child and hadn’t learned to swim until her third year of high school, but after finding her confidence she quickly fell in love with the water and now tried to swim whenever she got the chance. “I know I’m a bit old for it all now” she mused “but I even convinced Mum to pay my subs to join the swimming club, for my birthday present this year. She was reluctant, because I’ve tried all of the usual hobbies growing up - dance, gymnastics, horse riding and even skateboarding - and never stuck at anything before, but this is different somehow. I feel completely free when I’m swimming, and I’m a bit competitive too. The club’s great, even though I wasn’t then strongest or fastest swimmer when I started all of the others have really encouraged me to improve my technique.” Kenzie’s mouth swung open in shock. “No way! You don’t mean the swimming club at the leisure centre do you? Where we were yesterday?” “Yeah, why?” “Oh my god! That’s the club I used to go to, I swam there for years! I had swimming lessons there when I was small, and then when I’d got all of my badges I joined the club and started to swim competitively. It was so much fun, I even won a few trophies and they were talking about me competing in the county championships. But, well, it got difficult y’know, what with having to stay away sometimes. And well, I guess I just kinds drifted away from it all.” “Girls, lunch is ready” Lesley called from the kitchen.

Chapter 35 McKenzie was never up early on a Sunday, never, it just didn’t happen. Of course, she usually was awake early, and typically had to get up to change herself and her bed, but then she’d snuggle back down under the covers and stay there as long as she could get away with. She’d usually surface just in time for lunch, and then assuming they didn’t have plans to go anywhere she’d stay in her fresh pyjamas for the rest of the day. This Sunday, however, was different. Kenzie had awoken to that all too familiar discomfort a little before 7am, dragging herself from her bed with a tired groan, but once she’d taken care of the bedding she resisted the temptation to slip into clean PJ’s and crawl back into bed, instead picking out some of her favourite clothes to wear and heading off to the bathroom for an early shower to waken herself up fully, the sound of the shower rousing Lesley from her own slumber, although she merely rolled back over, determined to stay in bed for at least another hour, her body clock not yet having caught back up after the disturbed sleep earlier in the week. Kenzie knew it was too early to blast her music as she showered, she’d only disturb the neighbours and put her Mum in a foul mood for the rest of the day, which was the last thing she wanted, so instead of hooking up her speaker she played a few quieter tunes directly on her phone as she washed and then took care of her hair, singling quite merrily to herself and full of the joys of spring (yes despite it being November!). Showered, dressed and presentable, the excitable girl even spent a few productive minutes tidying her bedroom, although she couldn’t explain to herself why, its not as she was a little kid and would be bringing her friend up to show her bedroom, or to play together, but it just seemed to be the thing to do when a visitor was expected. Lesley had obviously taught her well. Next up was breakfast, and as there was so much spare time to kill Kenzie decided to go all-out and rustle up a full English for them both, figuring it would be a nice surprise for her Mum she she awoke, and would set them both up nicely for a later than normal lunch with Charlotte later. “Mmm, morning sweetheart, ooh that smells delicious” Lesley had talked into the kitchen as Kenzie was cooking, dressed in her own night things still and sniffing the air expectantly, her eyes lighting up as she caught a glimpse of the feast that awaited her. “Morning Mum, I was awake early so I thought why not. Everything’s ready, so grab yourself a coffee and take a seat.” Lesley did as she was told, smiling at being waited on for a change rather than it being the other way around as it had been for most of the past 19 years. “I heard you up and about at the crack of dawn sweetie, everything ok?” “Yeah mum, sorry if I disturbed you, I couldn’t sleep so thought there was no point lying in bed tossing and turning. I’ve had a shower, straightened my hair, even tidied my bedroom and now cooked breakfast, and all before half 8!” “Blimey! If that’s the effect it has on you, do you reckon Charlotte would like to come for lunch every day??” Lesley couldn’t help herself, laughing as she made her little dig. Kenzie looked briefly affronted, but then joined in with the laughter. She knew it was all out of character for her, but she really was incredibly excited. Her and Charlotte had just ‘clicked’ in a way that she never had with other friends before, which was perhaps odd given the age gap, and she couldn’t want to see her again. It was barely 9.30 when temptation got the better of her, and Kenzie fired off a quick text to Charlotte to make sure that she was still coming, although the reply didn’t come through until 45 minutes later, during which time Kenzie was on pins, worried that plans had changed or something had happened that meant Charlotte wouldn’t be able to come after all. When her phone ‘pinged’, Kenzie had snatched it up so eagerly that it had flown out of her phone and bounced off the coffee table much to her frustration. “Blimey Kenz, there’s only one 9.30 on a Sunday you know, and it certainly ain’t in the morning! Yep, course I’m still coming, but give us a chance to wake up will you. I’ll be getting the bus about 12 if that’s ok, so be with you by half past. Being cheeky I know, but do you reckon there’s any chance your Mum could drop me back off this afternoon? The buses on the estate are shocking on Sundays, and mum and dad are going out for the day.” “Muuum, you’ll never believe it, Charlotte’s only just got up!” “Funnily enough Kenz, I do believe it, because any other Sunday you wouldn’t have been out of your pit for at least another couple of hours! I can’t say I blame her making the most of a lazy Sunday morning” Kenzie didn’t have any witty comeback to that, knowing Lesley was absolutely right, so she pretended she hadn’t heard and instead quickly cleared the lift home before messaging back. She of course knew it would be absolutely fine, but figured it’d be rude not to at least ask first. As expected, it prompted the usual friendly ribbing about still being ‘mum’s taxi’ to a 19 year old, and how she really needed to get a move on with booking her driving test. It was noon before Lesley decided to go and get herself dressed, causing Kenzie to become increasingly anxious that her friend would arrive to find her still in her nightie, which would be “mortifying” as she kept pointing out, although she eventually dropped the subject after her mum had responded pointing out that she’d washed Charlotte’s urine soaked knickers and tights just a couple of days previously, so she was quite sure a dressing gown clad parent wasn’t going to come close to ‘mortifying’. Kenzie begged and pleaded with her Mum not to so much as mention that, nor embarrass her in any other way, and had squealed with frustration when she’d realised she was being deliberately wound up for Lesley’s amusement, the prerogative of any mum of a teenager. At 12:30 almost on the dot, there came a gentle knock on the front door.

Chapter 34 “One adult and one…oops, sorry, force of habit, 2 adults to swim, please?” Lesley had gone up to the counter to pay for their session, forgetting for a moment that Kenzie definitely wouldn’t get away with a kids ticket anymore! The clerk on the desk printed their receipts, and handed over wristbands that would allow them access not only to the pool, but also the Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room facilities too. It may cost a little more now that Kenzie was older, but they did get so much more for their money, and the prospect of baking I the sauna for 10 minutes after her workout really appealed to Lesley. She was just popping her credit card into the reader to pay, when she realised that the lady behind the counter was speaking to her again - her thoughts had drifted, and she felt quite rude as she realised she’d been totally ignoring her. “So sorry, I was in a world of my own there, reminiscing about times gone by. What were you saying?” “No problem at all Ma’am, I was just explaining that we’ve got a promotional deal on our monthly leisure pass at the moment, it actually costs less than 2 peak time swim sessions, and would give you access as many times as you’d like throughout the month, if you’d be interested? You also have the option to upgrade at any time to access the gym and sports hall facilities, too, if that’s your thing?” Now normally Lesley was very careful about spending decisions, not at all impulsive, and she even had this mentality that if somebody tried to upsell something to her it would just put her off the idea entirely, as she liked to be the one to make her own mind up and never liked to feel any pressure. Utility salespeople were her absolute worst nightmare, and she now had a list of suppliers who she resolutely would never sign up with, even if they were the cheapest on the market, because they’d accosted her in the town centre at one time or another and hadn’t taken no for an answer. This time, however, her interest was piqued. Perhaps she was a little flustered by her own daydreaming, but she didn’t immediately raise her guard as she usually did when confronted with a sales pitch, instead quickly processing the benefits she’d just heard. Admittedly she’d not managed to fit in even 2 swim sessions a month for far too long, and she was fairly sure McKenzie hadn’t for even longer, but maybe this would be the encouragement they needed to get back into the swing of things? Knowing you’re paying for something that’s not being used is often a great kick up the backside, and if this cold spell was in for a while then the warm pool was much more alluring than a walk in the hills when they needed to stretch their legs. She turned to ask her daughter what she thought, but found she’d wandered off. Acting on her instincts, she decided to treat them both, and agreed to sign up for a 6 month membership. “Kenz, love, how do you fancy coming swimming a bit more often over the winter, whilst it’s so cold outside?” She’d joined the younger girl, who she could see had been catching up on the latest swim team news and standings - it had been about 5 or 6 years now since she’d stopped swimming competitively, yet Lesley could see that some of her old team mates were still involved and seemed to be doing pretty well. “Ah yeah, that’s a really good idea Mum, better than freezing every week, and I do miss it. I don’t think I’ve really realised before quite how much, but this place was my life wasn’t it. I mean, I haven’t got the motivation to race anymore, but I do so love being in the water.” “And that is the correct answer!” Lesley laughed, as she handed Kenzie her membership card. “I came over all impulsive, and signed us both up for 6 months, my treat. Obviously you can come and go as you please, and may want to come with your friends rather than your old mum here, but I thought it would give us the option of we don’t fancy braving the cold at the weekends too.” “Well, yeah, you are getting on a bit now that you mention it” Kenzie quipped, sticking her tongue out cheekily and deftly ducking to avoid the blow which very nearly landed on her “I’m joking, I’m joking! Thanks Mum, that’s a really great idea, I’d love to come with you at the weekends, and if I can get back into my rhythm then I may try and come one night in the week too after college. I actually don’t think any of my mates really swim now you mention it, but I’ll ask. If not, enough of the old swim team are still about that I’m sure I’ll find somebody to pair up with for some lengths.” The pair enjoyed an vigorous swim, Kenzie of course several times the pace of her Mum, but after blasting through a few hundred metres she settled into a more leisurely rhythm so that Lesley could keep up with her, and they alternated between strokes for more than an hour. It really did feel good to be back in the pool, doing what she loved, something she’d missed and something she’d all but turned her back on for all of the wrong reasons. Now that she thought back, she was kicking herself, she’d given up all of her hopes and dreams, and because of what? Because she wet the bed! It was ridiculous, she probably wasn’t the only one at that age, and even if she was she could have done something to stop the others finding out, worn something or, well it was too late now, but what a wasted opportunity. She could maybe have turned professional, made a career out of it, and instead she had sulked at home. “Penny for them.” Lesley had noticed her daughters pensive expression, and had watched on for a few moments as they trod water, seeing Kenzie’s face set in a distant frown. “You ok love, something troubling you?” “Sorry Mum” Kenzie snapped out of her reverie “I was just thinking about what could have been, you know, if I’d kept up with the swimming instead of digging my heels in over something so stupid. I’m ok.” After quick 10 minutes in the sauna, which was just enough to give them both a healthy glow without sending them to sleep, followed by an invigorating dip in the plunge pool to cool back down again, they made their way to get changed and ready for the shopping mission which lay ahead. It was as Lesley was drying her hair that McKenzie fished out her phone to catch-up with whether she’d missed whilst swimming, an hour and a half was a long time to be out of touch with the wider world when you were 19. There were the usual social media notifications, and also a reply from Charlotte. “Sorry Kenz, I was swimming and my phone was in the locker. Lunch sounds great! Tell your mum thanks. We’re going straight out from here, but I could maybe come over tomorrow if that works? What’re you up to today anyway?” Incredulously, Kenzie scanned the message for the timestamp. It must have come through pretty much as they’d arrived at the leisure centre, and for once she’d not checked her phone before stashing it away, too excited to get in the pool. Typical! Charlotte probably even walked past across the other side of the reception area as we were waiting to come in. “Mum, guess what?! Charlotte was here, swimming, when I text her! We must have only just missed her when we arrived. She can’t come for lunch today, but can tomorrow if that’s ok?” “Well, what are the chances of that, eh? And there you were saying that none of your friends swam! Probably not a bad thing we missed her, nobody first impression of me needs to be clad in a swimsuit” she chuckled “Of course sweetie, tomorrow’s fine.” “Hey! That’s CRAZY! I’ve only just seen your reply, because I was swimming too! You must have just been leaving as we arrived. Mum said tomorrow’s cool. We’re off shopping, so I’ll message you later to sort something out, ok?” “Haha, that’s mad! Yeah I text you back in the car on the way to town. Sounds good, we’re sat having lunch and dad’s giving me dirty looks for being on my phone, chat later.”

Chapter 33 The rest of the week passed without too much in the way of excitement, Lesley still as busy as ever with work and McKenzie approaching her studies with a renewed focus and vigour, a spring in her step and a smile on her face. The routine hadn’t changed, every morning saw her stripping bed linen, but now it didn’t seem quite so much of a chore. Even without a way out of this monotonous cycle, she did at least see light at the end of the tunnel now, and generally felt more accepting of her own challenges. Where she’d spent at least the past couple of years suffering under the stigma of being a closet bedwetter, something that her peers would have grown out of many years earlier, now she had a new level of understanding. It was just a medical condition, nothing more, and one that she’d become particularly adept at managing privately, so why feel shame and embarrassment? It just seemed such a waste of energy to stress and worry about it now, she couldn’t change it, and life was just too short. On the Saturday morning, after a lie in for both mum and daughter, which of course signified a dry night for McKenzie - two in a week being something of record in recent memory, attributable perhaps to the change in her mindset and lack of stress - they were enjoying a leisurely breakfast late in the morning, discussing plans for the weekend. “Did you ask Charlotte about coming over for lunch, Kenz? Honestly I really can’t wait to meet this girl, I don’t know what on earth she did to you the other night, but it’s been like living with somebody else since, and I’m most definitely not complaining!” Feigning indignation, but unable to disagree with what her Mum had said, for she knew herself that her attitude and entire approach to life had shifted dramatically in just a few days, Kenzie grabbed her phone to message her friend. “Hey Charl, hows you? Mum wants to know whether you fancy coming over for lunch? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she doesn’t mention ‘you know what’, but she’s really keen to meet you. I’d love to see you again properly, too. x “ “I’ll take that as a no, then, you hadn’t asked her? Lesley chuckled. “Sorry Mum, I completely forgot! I mean, I see her every morning too, but only really two say hi too. I don’t really know her mates or anything, so it’s a bit weird. But yeah, I’ve asked her now.” With no other commitments, and not much fancying their typical Saturday morning activity of a walk in the nearby countryside given the inclement weather, Lesley suggested they head to the leisure centre for a swim, and then nip into town to do a food shop on the way home, a plan to which Kenzie readily agreed. She’d not swam, or even really properly exercised, nearly enough recently as she’d never quite felt in the mood for it, but now she was feeling so much more positive about things the prospect of a vigorous workout really appealed. Plus, she may be 19 now and an adult in her own right, but going shopping with her Mum always meant a few extra treats finding their way into the trolley too. They were both as bad as each other I that regard, Lesley usually considering a trip to the supermarket a boring necessity when she went on her own, but with Kenzie it was more of a laugh, and she never did much to protest against her daughters naughty encouragement when it came to the wine and ice cream aisles! Swimming had always been Lesley’s preferred leisure activity as it helped to keep her fit whilst acting as a way to relax and unwind away from work, and as such it had played a big part in Kenzie’s life growing up. Most weekends they’d swam when she was younger, and she’d taken lessons to quite an advanced level, even swimming on a team for a brief time, although eventually that too had come to an end as the team began to compete in time trials across the country, necessitating overnight stays and causing Kenzie to think up excuse after excuse for why she couldn’t make it, until it reached the point where she just didn’t attend even for practise any more. Something else that had been ruined for her, and all because of something she couldn’t help. If only she’d had this new found confidence back then, her coach had often said she was a strong enough swimmer to compete at county level. The pair chatted excitedly as they gathered their swimming things - costumes, towels, goggles and toiletries - more like a pair of sisters than mum and daughter, the age gap closed by their shared love of the water. Deciding to skip their morning showers, as they’d of course wash both before and after their swim, Kenzie remarked that it really was unusual for her to be able to leave the house without a bath or shower, and when that happened she knew it was going to be a good day. She may have learned a new understanding of her problem, but it was still by far the biggest thing in her life, and something which somehow seemed to creep into every conversation and every activity.

Ah thank you so much @kerry! That would make quite a nice ending, wouldn’t it? But no, don’t panic, there’s plenty more to come. ? I’m not 100% certain myself where I’m going with it ?? I did have an initial plot in mind, but have already deviated considerably from that, so I’m kinda just letting the characters do their own thing and taking the lead from them. I suspect it will still head off where I expected it to, but there will likely be many twists and turns along the way.

Chapter 32 McKenzie was exhausted, sat slumped against the wall of the bus as it rumbled across town in the direction of her home. Physically, mentally and emotionally worn out. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d cried as much as she had the past couple of days, but nor could she recall a time when she’d laughed quite so much, either. The relief she felt at finally sharing her secret was palpable, but she just didn’t have the energy to properly enjoy it, craving nothing more than to curl up in her bed and sleep for a week. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open, and sat as she was in her trance-like state she still very nearly missed her stop, noticing the familiar houses at the very last second and pummelling the bell. Arriving home, this time with her front door key which she’d remembered to transfer into her winter coat pocket, Kenzie let herself in and quickly stripped off her outer layers against the homely warmth that met her in the hallway. “Hi Kenzie!” Lesley called from the living room, where she was sat flicking through the local newspaper. “How was your day?” “Hey Mum, yeah good thanks.” She fought, and failed, to stifle a yawn. “Just shattered, it’s been a looooong day.” Collapsing onto the sofa next to her Mum, Kenzie let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, she really was feeling the effects of such an emotionally challenging day but, for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt content. “Well, mum, I did it. I told Charlotte, told her everything.” “Oh sweetie, I’m so very proud of you. That’s a big step, it can’t have been easy. So, how did it go then? Was she ok with you about it?” “Yeah, she was fine, great actually, well after she’d gotten over the fact I wasn’t dying of cancer anyway, haha!” Lesley looked quizzically across at her daughter, an eyebrow slightly raised. “What do you mean? You know that’s not something to joke about Kenz…” “Sorry Mum, sorry. I guess without context that does sound a little crass. You see, I think I got myself a bit too worked up before telling her, and probably led into it the wrong way - I figured she may have been able to relate easier to what happened at my scan appointment that time, so I started with that to see how she reacted - but with all of the talk of hospitals and tests, and me getting a bit teary, I think she read rather too much into it, and when I finally managed to spit it out she was so relieved that I wasn’t, like, terminally ill or anything! I guess after worrying about that that, anything I had to tell her would have paled into insignificance, ant so it did. I get it now Mum, wetting the bed sucks, especially at 19 and after 10 years of dealing with it, but it’s not the end of the world is it. You know what Charlotte said?” Lesley struggled to contain her own giggles at the thought of the two girls having such a serious conversation, with one convinced the other was on her deathbed, despite the reality being so much more trivial. “Go on…” “What’s a few soggy sheets between friends” Lesley’s heart immediately warmed to the unknown Charlotte. That summed it up perfectly, and seeing Kenzie throw her head back and roar with laughter over something connected to her bedwetting was unheard of. She suddenly seemed so carefree, so at ease with herself, so much more like the old McKenzie. It truly was a joy to behold. Deciding that such a milestone day deserved a special treat, but realising that for all of her good spirits Kenzie was probably far too tired to want to go to the trouble of getting ready heading out for dinner, Lesley instead suggested ordering a takeaway which they shared whilst chatting more easily than they had for months, perhaps years. It was as if McKenzie was a different girl, all of the stress and worry lifted from her. They of course talked more about Charlotte, and Lesley suggested perhaps inviting her over for lunch at the weekend so they could meet, because more than anything she wanted to thank her for helping her little girl to regain her confidence. Kenzie agreed, she’d never felt comfortable bringing friends home, especially not as she’d got older, but this time it just felt so different, so right, and she promised to talk to Charlotte the next day and arrange something, assuming her friend didn’t already have plans, of course. That night, for the first time in ten yers, McKenzie went to bed filled with joy, without even a niggling worry about what the night ahead would bring. It didn’t matter, even if she woke up wet, it wasn’t the end of the world was it? Just an accident, easily cleaned up and no harm done. Maybe the doctors will finally be able to help, but in the meantime she was done with stressing about something she couldn’t help. After all…’What’s a few soggy sheets between friends’.

Chapter 31 The awkwardness now passed, broken by the fit of laughter that had overcome them both, McKenzie indicated the nearby playground and motioned for them to take a seat on the swings whilst they continued chatting. Given the coldness of the evening, and the shadowy darkness which had descended, the families and young kids who would normally be enjoying the park had long since made their way home. “You really thought I was going to tell you I was seriously ill, or even dying?” Charlotte nodded. “Well, the way you built up to it, honestly if you’d said the word cancer I think I’d have broken down right there. You’ve certainly got a way of building suspense, Kenz, I’ll give you that - let me guess, are you planning a career as a writer by any chance?” This caused McKenzie to splutter and nearly choke on her drink. She was the least creative person she knew, and had zero aptitude for creative writing according to her high school teachers and college lecturers. “Yeah right, I wish! Honestly though, it’s been such a big deal for me all these years that I guess it has felt like some awful disease, always having a hold over me and controlling what I can do, always there lingering in the back of my mind. I guess it’s difficult to accept that it’s really not all that bad. But yeah, when you put it like you did like there…what was it you said ‘what’s a few soggy sheets between friends?’…that really tickled me. You’re right too, although it’s not the ‘soggy sheets’ that have changed, it’s the ‘friends’. Never having had anybody to share it with, I’ve always kept everything bottled up and tried to work it out in my own head. I mean, it’s not like I’ve never had friends, even best friends, I’m lucky to know some awesome people, but there’s never been anybody I’ve felt comfortable enough with to share, well, that. What is it about you, Charlotte? Why are you so different?” Holding out her hands and turning them over, Charlotte gave a little shrug. “ I dunno Kenz, I’m nothing special. Maybe peeing all over your bathroom was the icebreaker? I guess there are some experiences you can’t share without forming a kinda bond, and it looks like being 16 years old and hiding your wee soaked tights in a strangers bathroom bin is definitely one of them.” Which set them both off giggling again.. “You know, yesterday morning when you were limping up my stairs and standing weeing all down your legs in my bathroom, do you know what the one thing I was worrying about was? It wasn’t about whether you’d make it, I didn’t even question that. It wasn’t even about the awkwardness of the situation. What I was stressing about was that I’d had the most spectacularly horrific accident the night before, my bed had been stripped down to its waterproof plastic sheet with all of the bedding shipped off to the launderette, and you were about to walk past my open bedroom door and see it all, I was petrified you were going to find out and I very nearly followed you up the stairs to slam the door shut.” “Well, Kenzie, you know what I was worrying about? It certainly wasn’t the state of your bed…it was the puddle I was about to make on your landing carpet, and how on earth I was going to hide my wet tights!” The giggles now turned to belly laughs once more, both red faced and roaring, tears once more coursing down their faces but this time tears of mirth and not sadness. “Ooh, Charlotte, don’t make me laugh like that or it’ll be me having to worry about trickles running down my legs! Ahhh it feels so good to laugh, I know my problem hasn’t gone away, far from it, but it suddenly doesn’t feel like such a big deal anymore, you know? Thank you, just for listening, for laughing with me, just for being here and being you.” The pair continued to talk in earnest, first as they swung and then, feeling cold and realising they probably needed to make their way back towards the bus stops if they weren’t to be left with a long trek home, as they walked back around the perimeter of the park. Kenzie filled her friend in with the details of the “spectacularly horrific” accident earlier in the week which had caused her so much distress over the state of her mattress, whilst Charlotte confided in her about the handful of times she’d found herself in need of fresh sheets over the years, hoping it further helped the older girl to accept that she wasn’t alone. It did, in a way, although whilst she didn’t pass comment McKenzie was quick to pick up on the fact that, other than one freak accident, Charlotte’s occasional bedwetting had pretty much ended before the age when her own had started, and had therefore likely been little more than the normal process of growing up. Still, after a decade of never mentioning the subject, it was like a tonic to her being able to discuss it so openly, and it certainly acted to break the taboo. As they reached the bus stop, conversation had turned back to Kenzie’s struggles, and she’d just begun to explain about the hospital letter that had arrived, her progression on from CCBBS to the adult urology programme and the appointment which was scheduled for the following week, when Charlotte’s bus pulled in. “Look, we’ll have to talk about it later Kenz, but this time you won’t have to face it alone, I promise.”

Chapter 30 McKenzie wasn’t quite sure what had promoted her to suggest going for a walk, perhaps she thought it may be easier to say what she needed to if they were walking side by side rather than looking directly at each other? That’s something her mum had always done with her when she was younger and they needed to have a difficult conversation, they’d always gone for a drive somewhere and it seemed to make it easier. Or maybe the idea of spilling her darkest, lifelong secrets in such a public place was just too much? Telling about an accident she’d had years ago, in circumstances which could have left anybody with wet pants, was one thing, but admitting to having wet her bed for a decade? That was something else entirely! She knew that she needed to to it though, she needed that release, and she had no idea why, but she knew that Charlotte was the one she could trust. Both girls settled on a bottled soft drink this time, and, once Kenzie had settled the bill they made their way out into the frosty winter evening where the daylight had already faded. Neither spoke as they crossed the road and entered the park through the closest gate, taking a moment alone with their thoughts and almost steeling themselves for what was to come. It was Charlotte who broke the reverie first. “Thank you Kenz, thank you for trusting me with that. I don’t know what else there is, but I hope you now know that you can tell me anything. I won’t judge, I won’t laugh, but I’ll be here for you and I’ll do anything at all I can to help.” “Oh Charlotte, I know. I don’t know how I know, or why I know, but I trust you like I’ve never been able to trust anybody else my whole life, which is crazy considering we’ve only known each other for a day! I didn’t think I’d ever be able to talk to anybody about this stuff. Look, Charl, everything I told you in there was true it all happened and it really was horrific, but that wasn’t the half of it. I told you that I’d had to go to hospital for a scan, but what I didn’t say was that it was one of many, many scans and tests. Dozens, maybe even hundreds by now, some so invasive that I’ve blanked out the memories of them, others totally humiliating. On that day, it was an ultrasound scan, and they wanted to look at my bladder, that’s why I hadn’t been allowed to use the loo before, and why I had to drink so much. They didn’t just want to see my bladder, they wanted me to stretch it, they wanted to know how much it could hold, they wanted to know what happened when I emptied it, did it empty properly? Was it working as it should? You see, Charl, what I’ve never told you, what I’ve never told anybody, ever, in over 10 years, is that….is that I wet the bed, almost every single night. I don’t know why, they don’t know why, nobody know why! The only person who knows, well I guess other than you now, is my Mum. I’m a 19 year old bedwetter, Charlotte, and I absolutely hate it.“ McKenzie fought hard to hold back the sob that tried to escape, but she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. That was it, she’d done it. Emotionally she was a wreck, physically she was shaking, but she’d actually done it, she’d told her secret, and it was as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders as she uttered the words. She wasn’t alone now, for the first time in more than half of her life she didn’t feel like she was facing her problems on her own, and it felt incredible. Charlotte caught hold of Kenzie’s sleeve and spun the girl around to face her with look of understanding but, Kenzie noted, edged with something else…annoyance? No, it couldn’t be that, she prayed. Frustration? Not pity, she couldn’t bare to be pitied? What was it? She looked straight into Charlotte’s misty eyes, searching for answers. “Bloody hell Kenz, the way you were talking I thought you were going to tell me you were dying of some awful disease! Honestly I was welling up and getting ready to say my goodbyes. Look, I’m absolutely not trying to minimise what you’ve been going through, It must be absolutely mortifying and I can’t begin to imagine how you’ve dealt with that, or even how on earth you’ve kept it secret for such a long time, but honestly Kenz I’ve never been so relieved. You bloody idiot, you really had me going there! Look, what’s a few soggy sheets between friends, eh? Now don’t you EVER worry me like that again, got it?” Astounded, that wasn’t at all the reaction Kenzie had expected, not in a million years. It took her a moment to process what she’d just heard, and then she caught Charlotte’s eye again and both girls burst out laughing, pulling one another into a hug as they did so, each shaking their heads at the other’s expression.

Chapter 29 Charlotte was speechless. Hearing of McKenzie’s ordeal certainly helped to put her own experience into perspective, and Kenz had been right, hers was, for the most part at least, a secret. Oh how her heart went to to her, she couldn’t even begin to imagine the shame of having such a massive accident in public, she’d no idea how she’d react or how she’d ever be able to show her face in public again after something like that. Yesterday, despite being in the relative privacy of a locked bathroom, she’d felt like a rabbit caught in the headlights as the realisation of what she’d done had dawned on her, so the idea of having to face that with dozens of people watching on genuinely filled her with dread and caused her to give an involuntary shudder. For all the colour had risen in Kenzie’s face, she could feel it draining away from her own as she felt cold, clammy and she knew she must look in shock. No matter how hard she tried, no words would come to her that would do any justice to what she’d just heard, and she felt that those she could think of would sound shallow, hollow and empty. Instead, she merely set down her own empty mug, shuffled across the sofa to where Kenzie was sat, and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. No words were spoken, no words were needed, the shared understanding in that gesture was clear. After she’d finished her monologue, Kenzie had scanned Charlotte’s face for any sign of reaction, for any emotion for any indication of what she thought. Her expression was set, and for a fleeting moment the girl panicked that she’d done the wrong thing, worried that she’d just exposed herself to ridicule, and her fight or flight instinct kicked in. She was all set to scoop up her bags and flee the shop, not caring where she went so long as she was alone. And then, something changed, Charlotte’s expression softened and, wordlessly, she’d moved over and held her. McKenzie felt the stress and worry melt away from her in an instant, she knew at once it was alright, she knew without words that Charlotte understood, that they could and would support each other, and she knew right then that she’d be able to talk to her about anything. About everything. The weight lifting from her shoulders was immense, the dark clouds in her mind parted and, for the first time in years, she felt a sense of relief, of positivity, of…hope? Recovering first, Charlotte finally found her voice. “Kenzie, that sounds truly awful! What a horrific thing to have to go through. You know, I get it now. Last night I had no idea why you seemed so understanding, I kept looking for the catch, for the ulterior motive, wondering just what you were getting out of being nice to me. Now I understand, now I can see why you understand. Thank you, thank you so much for being honest with me, Kenz. I know now the I can trust you with my secret, and not just because I know yours too, but because it’s more than just a shared secret, isn’t it? It’s almost like a strange kind of bond, even though neither of actually shared the experience, we kinda do have a shared experience, almost a trauma, I dunno? But whatever it is, just like you said to me, a secret always remains a secret between friends. I promise you that, Kenz.” “Charl, I couldn’t agree more. I feel bad now for testing you, but I had to know that I could trust you. I’ve never been able to talk openly with anybody like this before, never felt I could really be my true self, I’ve always had to hide, always had to pretend, always felt ashamed and embarrassed. Look, everything I’ve just told you is true, I wouldn’t lie to you, especially not about something like that. But, that’s not all, heck that’s not the half of it, not even really the beginning. Tell you what, how about I grab us another drink, maybe we get this one to go and take a walk around the park with it? I feel that if I don’t do this now, if I don’t tell you now then I’ll never be able to tell anybody, but I’ve never needed to tell somebody anything more than right now. Is that ok?” Now Charlotte was worried, what on earth could McKenzie need to tell her so desperately? But, of course, wherever it was she was determined to be there for the friend who’d been there for her, the friend who’d had her back when she’d needed it, whatever it was she’d help Kenzie to deal with it.

Chapter 28 (Note - this chapter contains a description of memory of a younger teenager having an accident. Whilst not a child, and not in any way detailed, you may prefer to skip past - you won't miss anything from the storyline by doing so. ) Charlotte agreed, besides after her accident, and with McKenzie knowing all of the gory and humiliating details, she couldn’t imagine there being anything this older, more mature girl could tell her which could be even close to being as bad. She’d never break a confidence, of course, but surely Kenzie had the ultimate insurance - if she blabbed then the whole world would know she’d wet herself like a toddler, and she was NEVER going to let that happen. McKenzie steeled herself, deciding to ease in gently and judge how Charlotte reacted if she gave her just a glimpse into her world, before going any further. Like her young friend, she had never felt so nervous in all of her life. She’d literally spent a decade keeping this secret, keeping everybody at arms length to protect her dignity and ensure her shame never became known to another person, and here she was about to volunteer the very information she’d always held closest to her chest. What on earth was she doing? “Honestly, Kenz, whatever it is you’ve got to say, at least you didn’t piss yourself! I mean, its not like I do it all the time or anything, I was being honest when I said the last time it happened was probably nearly 10 years ago - and, its not quite so weird for a 6 year old, right? - but still, I think I’ve got the upper hand when it comes to humiliation here, so whatever’s nagging you can’t be that bad, I’m sure?” Biting the bullet, Kenzie began to pour out her soul. “I mean it Charl, if this goes any further then I’ll know where it’s come from, because nobody else has ever heard a word of what I’m telling you here today. So, you say nothing can be as bad as wetting yourself at 16? Well, it was a few years ago now, so granted I was a couple of years younger than you are, but still many, many years older than 6. I had to go for a hospital appointment, and it was a day when I was in school, so Mum had come to collect me early. They wanted to do a scan on me, an ultrasound or something I think it was, so I’d been given strict instructions to drink as much as I could throughout the day, and I wasn’t allowed to use the loo so that I had a full bladder and they could see everything they needed to on their scans. Well, I’m sure you can guess where this is going…they were running behind schedule, as always seem to be the case in the NHS, so my 2pm appointment rolled on to 3pm, and then nearly 3.30pm, causing my mum to curse about how I’d missed an afternoon of school for no reason, and me to jump around the waiting area making quite a spectacle of myself and doing a potty dance much more befitting a 3 year old than a 13 year old! Honestly, Charl, you thought you were bad yesterday morning, but I was literally grabbing myself and bouncing around the room, not caring who could see me, or my knickers! By this point, even if they’d called me through to the scan room at that very moment there was no way I’d have been able to lie still, and I’d almost certainly have wee’d all over the examination table, and probably the doctors too. Mum realised it was a lost cause, and with no sign of my name being called her frustration was growing, as this would inevitably mean another appointment and a rerun of the whole debacle. I was starting to cry I needed to go so badly, which was the final straw for my Mum. She told me to go to the toilet, whilst she went to the desk to explain that we (well, I) couldn’t wait any longer and that if they needed to do the scan with a full bladder then we’d need to reschedule for another day, hopefully one when they could keep to the promised appointment time. Mum was furious, I’ve rarely seen her so angry. Alas whilst Mum engaged in a heated exchange with the receptionist, I hobbled painfully to the toilet door only to find the single stall occupied! Not very well thought through at all, it seems this one bathroom served not only the waiting room but also those who’s scans had concluded, although I guess now thinking back on it the theory was that nobody waiting to be seen should be using the facilities anyway, but that logic was lost on me as I stood pounding on the door, writhing in agony and with both hands pressing my grey school skirt up against my crotch. Then…well, then it was all over, and I wailed as my poor, tired and aching bladder gave out and betrayed me, wee spilling out spectacularly like a waterfall, splashing audibly against the hard polished floor and creating a puddle which must have spread a metre around me. I was devastated, beyond mortified, my tights were soaked and, worse, because of how I’d been holding myself my skirt was saturated, leaving nobody in any doubt as to how I’d disgraced myself. The humiliation was palpable, and I had to walk back through that damned waiting room, sobbing my heart out, to tell my Mum what had happened. So, Charlotte, I’ve been there, and I really do know from painfully embarrassing personal experience that accidents can happen to anybody. At least only me and my Mum know what happened to you, and it was in private in my bathroom, not in front of dozens of people in a hospital waiting room. Oh, the shame.” Kenzie’s tongue had rather run away from her, spluttering and stuttering as she stumbled over her words, rushing to get them out before she changed her mind. But now it was done, and she felt the heat rising in her face as she raised her head to look across at Charlotte, hoping that she’d judged it right. How would the girls react? What would she say? What would she do?

Chapter 27 “Who was that?” Chyna asked in greeting, nodding towards Chloe, who had turned down a different corridor. “Hey Chyna! Ah, yeah, bit of a long story…that’s Chloe, she’s on one of the vocational courses. I met her and a couple of others in the bus chaos yesterday, and we just got chatting. She seems alright.” McKenzie smiled. “Haha, yeah how was your day off? Skiver!” Her friend taunted, in good humour, returning the smile and causing Kenzie to chuckle. “Day off?! Haha, yeah I wish! After freezing at the bus stop for hours, I spent the rest of the day getting my English portfolio in order I’ll have you know. Although, yeah, ok I did go back to bed for an hour, just to warm myself up though.” “I KNEW IT! Haha!! Don’t blame you though, wish I lived further away so I could have gotten away with it too. Ah well, it was peaceful in lessons without you nagging away at least!” Chyna’s grin widened and her eyes danced mischievously, she loved winding Kenz up, it was her favourite pastime, well apart from eyeing up the hot lads who played on the college rugby team at any rate. The banter continued as they went about their day, with McKenzie only noticing a message on her phone as they sat down for a coffee at lunchtime. It had been sent earlier that morning, from Charlotte. “Thanks for not saying anything then Kenzie, I really appreciate it” Immediately feeling rude for not replying sooner, and concerned that the younger girl may be offended, or worse worrying about whether she’d changed her mind about keeping the secret and meeting up to chat later, she hurriedly tapped out a quick reply, hoping that Charlotte wasn’t in class or at least had her phone set to silent, as she’d hate to get her in any kind of trouble - she remembered how strict her old high school teachers had been about mobile phones! “So sorry Charl, busy day at college and only just seen this. Of course I’d never say anything! A promise is a promise and a secret stays secret between friends. Looking forward to catching up later x” “x” As the afternoon progressed, McKenzie felt herself becoming more nervous about her planned rendezvous with Charlotte, not because she wasn’t quite looking forward to meeting up with the girl who she found she got on so well with, despite the age gap, but because of the enormity of what she planned to do, what she planned to tell her, and the butterflies in her stomach room had her feeling quite queasy. Of course, she knew that she didn’t have to do or say anything, they could just meet up for a chat over coffee and nothing more, but she’d meant what she’d said to her Mum the previous night, sometimes she really did feel trapped by her problem and almost alone in dealing with it. Because of the stigma associated with bedwetting even at a much younger age, she’d never felt able to confide in anybody before and it meant that the pressures often ate away at her and brought her down, so this really did feel like her one chance to break free from that, and despite the apprehension she was determined to see it through. With their daily lessons drawing to a close, Kenzie once more bid farewell to Chyna who walked home, before making her way to the bus stops. This time, however, rather than joining the queue for her regular bus home, she instead hopped aboard the waiting number 38, which headed into the town centre. It seemed daft to go all the way home, just to drop her bag off before going straight back out again to catch another bus, so she’d figured that nipping into town would give the chance to do a bit of shopping, before taking the short walk up to Vicky park where the Costa Coffee was. She didn’t want to get there too early and be sitting around on her own, but she knew she only had an hour or so before Charlotte would be there, and nor did she want to leave the poor girl in the same position, so a whistle-stop tour of the shops for the cosmetics and toiletries she needed, and then she’d go and grab a table - hopefully hidden away in the corner, lest anybody she knew overheard their conversation. As it happened, Charlotte managed to get out of her revision class a little earlier than expected, meaning she caught the earlier bus into town herself, and was at the park by a little after 4.15pm. She thought about calling McKenzie, but then remembered her promise to treat her new friend after all of the help and support she’d given the previous day and so decided to go and order their drinks and snacks first, in an effort to avoid the awkward “I insist…no, I insist…” argument that ALWAYS seemed to happen when friends met up for food or drinks. Large caramel frappe and jammie dodger blondie for Kenzie, and a vanilla white mocha with a linzer biscuit for herself bought, and trying not to balk at the bill which came to over a tenner for just 2 drinks and 2 small biscuits, Charlotte shared her friends concerns about being overheard and so chose the comfy sofa in the corner-window of the coffee shop, probably the most private space, although she was pleased that whilst other customers were around the place was far from packed which meant some privacy was all but assured. She’d just taken out her phone to grab an instagram photo, and to message McKenzie to let her know where she was sat, when she saw her familiar face walking past the window clutching a Superdrug carrier bag, both girls having clearly thought alike in terms of getting here early, and waved enthusiastically. “Hey Kenz! I’m glad you came, I did wonder…” “Hiya Charl, of course I came! Hope you’ve not been waiting long? Of course I came, just had to grab a few things in town.” Kenzie proffered the bag by way of explanation, before dropping it and her heavy college rucksack on the floor and flopping down on the sofa theatrically. “Ooh, my favourites, you remembered! Thanks, what do I owe you?” Charlotte rolled her eyes in response. “Nothing! Honestly, I told you it was my treat after everything you did for me yesterday…although, if you want another, we’ll have to go dutch I’m afraid as this lot all but bankrupt me, haha.” Taking a few moments to savour their drinks, neither girl said much, just exchanging pleasantries and general chit chat about how their days had gone so far. Then Charlotte’s face took on a serious look, as she turned to look McKenzie straight in the eyes before speaking in a low voice. “Did you mean what you said in your text, Kenz, about secrets staying secret between friends? I want to trust you, I really do, but I’ve been so so worried, after what happened. If that ever got out, I’d be finished…” Kenzie set her glass down on the table, and took the younger girls hand in her own as she replied softly, but with equal seriousness and sincerity to her words, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke “Of course I meant it, every word. A secret is a secret, and I promise never to share it. But…and it’s a big, big but Charl, that works both ways, yeah? There’s some things I think I want to tell ya, but it’ll only work if you promise never to tell another soul.”

Chapter 26 The following morning, whilst disappointed although not in any way surprised to awaken to wet sheets, McKenzie was at least relieved that there hadn’t been a repeat of the previous nights disaster. Wetting her bed she’d just about got her head around and knew how to deal with, even if emotionally she was struggling, but wetting her bed, then her pants, then the carpets, and then making an unholy mess all over the bathroom, that wasn’t something she ever wanted to experience again! Going through her usual morning routine, so practised that she could literally (and often did) carry it out with her eyes closed, Kenzie stripped the soggy linen from her bed and piled it close to her bedroom door ready for laundering after her shower, then picked out fresh clothes for the day, settling on a leggings and skirt combo that’d go well with her DMs, and multiple tops to layer up against the cold. The cold, damp bottoms of her pyjamas were clinging unpleasantly to her legs by this stage, causing her to shiver and walk a little bow legged…almost as if, well…as if she’d had an accident…across the landing to the bathroom, where she closed the door behind her and eagerly stripped off, glad to be free of the wet fabric. Showered and dressed for the day, and washing machine set, Kenzie grabbed a quick breakfast and plenty of coffee, before heading out of the door to catch her bus, shouting little more than “Goodbye” to her mum as she went. Lesley had an appointment that morning, so whilst she was up and about already, she wasn’t yet ready to leave and was looking forward to a more leisurely start to her day, jumping in the bathroom as McKenzie had left it and taking her time over her morning ablutions. Whilst waking up wet was never a pleasant experience, Kenzie had learned to appreciate one benefit from it which was that on those days she was always up bright and early, meaning less rushing around and no danger of being late. It was a stretch, she admitted quite openly to herself, that waking up early because you’d wet the bed was in any way a good thing, but if it meant she had time for breakfast and coffee, and was much less likely to find herself in college with clothes on back to front or inside out because she’d been half asleep as she’d frantically dragged them on, then she’d call that a win. “Morning Kenzie” came a call from across the road, startling the girl slightly from her daydreams. Turning to find the source of the voice, McKenzie’s eyes fell on the two girls from her college she’d been chatting to yesterday morning when all of the bus drama had kicked off, Emily and Chloe. “Ahh, Hiya! Reckon the bus is going to turn up today? Haha” The two girls grinned, and crossed over the road to walk the rest of the way to the bus stop with McKenzie, chatting idly as they did so about their respective days at home, how cold it had been, and how they secretly hoped the bus *didn’t* turn up again today so they could have another easy one. “Was that girl who you took home with you ok Kenzie? She looked in a pretty bad way” Emily asked, sounding genuinely concerned. McKenzie blushed a little at the enquiry, little did the others know what had actually gone on after they’d departed yesterday, and of course they had no idea at all that she’d spoken to Charlotte later on in the evening either, nor that the pair were meeting that very afternoon to talk. Nevertheless, she protected her friends secret, wording her reply carefully in the hope that it would dissuade further questions. “Oh, Charlotte? Yeah she was fine I think, just the cold got to her. We’ve all been there I’m sure, but yeah she came to mine, used the loo and then headed off home herself. We’ll probably see her again at the bus stop today.” Emily and Chloe both nodded, but as Kenzie had hoped they didn’t probe further, and she very much hoped they’d drop the subject and not bring it up around Charlotte, who she figured may not be quite so able to cover. As she’d predicted, rounding the corner to the bus stop they spotted the usual large group of school kids waiting for their own buses to arrive, with Charlotte stood slightly apart from the main body chatting to a couple of other girls who looked to be a similar age. “Hey Charlotte” Kenzie called, with an enthusiastic wave, and she notice both Chloe and Emily also raised their hands in acknowledgement. “Oh, hey Kenz, hi girls” Charlotte returned the greeting with a warm smile, but didn’t make any move to join the group, staying with her own friends which was perfectly normal - the school kids very rarely mixed with the older students, despite there being little difference in age between some of them. Kenzie respected the boundaries, and didn’t attempt to encroach on Charlotte’s space, as they’d have plenty of time to chat properly later. For the first time ever, some of the younger school children actually whooped and cheered as their bus pulled up. Kenzie caught Charlotte’s eye briefly as she joined the queue to board, each of them rolling their eyes and giggling, unnoticed by their respective groups of friends. Shortly afterwards, the public bus which McKenzie, Emily and Chloe caught to college arrived, and whilst they were equally glad not to face another long wait in the cold, they managed to be a little more restrained in their reactions. Glad to have somebody else to share the monotony of the journey with after a couple of months of sitting alone with just their earphones for company, the 3 girls sat together at the back of the bus and chatted freely, getting to know a little more about each other and sharing anecdotes about their college experiences so far. Once the bus reached their campus, they bid each other goodbye and headed for the days lessons, just another normal day after the drama of the one before.